Harper denies NORAD deal finalized (Canada)

[CHIMO]

A deal that would renew Canada's role in NORAD has not been finalized and will be debated by Parliament before it's signed, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Saturday.

Mr. Harper was reacting to reports that Ottawa has committed Canada to indefinite participation in the military alliance in an agreement that would give it new responsibilities to protect coastlines from terrorist attacks.

"I am anticipating that we will be announcing this in the very near future, and as we have indicated to the opposition, we will be bringing this to Parliament for a full debate and a vote before we finalize the agreement," Mr. Harper said before a provincial Tory fundraiser in Moncton, N.B.

Opposition Leader Bill Graham said he expects the new agreement will be similar to the one the Liberals were negotiating while they were in power.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060429.wnorad0430/BNStory/National/home

Humbug! They are all the same lot!

[LiviaOlivia]

1. Does the agreement include letting the NSA spy on Canucks?

They probably are already.

[Robbien]

2. Question

I understand they are trying to do this in secret and present the agreement as a done deal, which makes the whole thing suspect.

But what are the arguments against Canada participating in NORAD? Why are they trying to push this through?

[CHIMO]

3. Continental integration by stealth

As Ottawa prepares to renew NORAD agreement, a bi-national panel suggests nothing less than the complete integration of Canada's military, security and foreign policy into the decision-making and operating systems of the U.S., writes

They seem harmless enough at first: two mid-level Canadian Forces officers and a mild-mannered bespectacled American consultant explaining the work of their 48-member Bi-National Planning Group to audiences across Canada. Their professed goal is to improve co-operation between the Canadian and U.S. militaries, the better to defend both countries.

Yet a close reading of their final report released last month, reveals that their actual intent — or at least the intent of the politicians who set their mandate — is far from benign. They seek nothing less than the complete integration of Canada's military, security and foreign policy into the decision-making and operating systems of the U.S.

In 2002, it was revealed that Ottawa and Washington were contemplating a "combined defence plan" that would have placed our forces under the umbrella of the U.S.'s new Northern Command (NORTHCOM).

Opposition to the plan quickly led to its being shunted out of view and into the newly created Bi-National Planning Group (BPG). Based at the headquarters of NORTHCOM and the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) in Colorado Springs, the planning group was intended to devise counterpoints to critics' concerns, while postponing formal decision-making until a more politically opportune moment.

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1146174636411&call_pageid=968256290204&col=968350116795

[Robbien]

5. Wow

What does the Canadian political elite get out of giving up Canada's sovereignty in this fashion? It makes no sense to me at all.

[HuffleClaw]

4. it is a stealth attack on Canadian sovereignty

disguised as 'cooperation', plain and simple.

[enigma000]

6. If it is just a renewal

there can't be much sinister about it. It is just continental air defense.

[CHIMO]

7. Not

Tories quietly expand NORAD
Signing ceremony kept under wraps

New pact includes maritime defence

OTTAWA—Stephen Harper's government has quietly committed Canada to "indefinite" participation in NORAD and agreed to give the military alliance new responsibilities to watch for a terror attack by sea.

Fresh off his softwood lumber truce, Harper's government yesterday gave another boost to Canada-U.S. relations when it signed off on the renewal of the landmark North American Aerospace Defence Command treaty.

"The new agreement expands NORAD's mission by adding maritime warning to NORAD's aerospace defence mission," Hironimus said.

This will be a first for the joint Canada-United States defence agency, which in the past has been responsible only for guarding the skies over North America.

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1146261012750&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154&t=TS_Home

So, bullshit for the Northwest passage. All we are going to end up with is paying large tax dollars to defend the Northwest passage for Corporations!

[ConcernedCanuk]

8. "It is just continental air defense" - from WHOM exactly?

.
.
.

I'm a heck of alot more concerned about a takeover from the USA than I am from Russia, China, terrorists or anyone else.

And we used to have USA nukes on one of our bases less than 50 miles from where I live - we've been TOLD they have long been removed -

but then again . . .

AND

positioning ourselves "united" with the USA will indeed make Canada a "legitimate" target for terrorism.

Why we are in Afghanistan in a combat role is beyond me - we ain't "protecting" ourselves by doing that

Afghanistan was initiated by the USA to get ONE MAN - and we still have no proof that OBL even WAS the mastermind of 911 IMO.

I think that was a PNACers plan to infuriate the USA citizens to allow Bush and gang to terrorize the Middle East.

OBL may have been the "instrument" - but the PNACers got their fingers in there.

count on it

[Jim Sagle]

9. WTF good is NORAD anyway? It couldn't even stop 19 guys with boxcutters.

Or so they say.

[leesa]

10. Poor little babies got all confused ya know. Wonder which ones in NORAD

were in on the 9-11 plot with Dick and the boyz?

[Jim Sagle]

11. Maybe none of them.

If NORAD training runs for 9-11 were ordered say, by Cheeeeeeney, no one in NORAD had to be in on it.